Etched metal body



April 13, 1926.

W. GOODWIN ETGHED METAL BODY 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 25 V m w D O O G w ETCHED METAL BODY Filed April 25, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 13 192s.

- indicating der lines shown,

ice and more particularly to plates,

wmsLow eoonwm, or CHICAGO,

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PLATE &.

mourn METAL BODY.

Application filed April 25,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WINSLOW Goonwm, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in thecounty of (look and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Im- )lOYemGlltS in Etched Metal Bodies, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to etched metal bodforming the front walls of" the cases in which the mechanism of radio apparatus is enclosed.

My primary objects are (l) to provide a body of the character stated and more. particularly 'of plate form, with its exposed surface of such character that scratches occurring thereon, either in the manufacture or handling of the body or occurring in use, or. other kinds of marks made by handling the body, or imperfections in the metal itself, will not be readily visible; and (2) to pro vide for the enhancing of the a 'ipearanee of the body particularly when in plate form and provided to form the front; wall of a radio case.

Referring to in s:--

l igure 1 is a face view of a plate provided to form the front plate of a radio case and embodying my invention, the ornamentation of: the background being shown purel diagrammatically, and Figures 2, 3, 4 amg5, similar, fragmentary, views of the front surfaces of cornerjportions of the plate, showing in detail a variety of background surfaces.

In illustrating my invention, I have chosen to showit in a plate forming the front wall of a case for radio apparatus involving a plurality of selectors the pointers of which cooperate with dials on the plate, and a rheostat control having a pointer, but without, however, intending to limit the invention to a plate for an apparatus of the particular character referred to.

The plate shown, which is of metal, is produced by the etching process, the dials represented at 7 and 8, together with their designating legends, the curved arrow 6 for the direction for operating the rheostat-controlling member, together with its designating legend, and the various borbeing in relief, with the metal of the platevisible at the face of these relief portions.

The background of the plate shown purely the :urcompunying draw;

1925. Serial No. 25,882).

diagrainmatically in Fig. 1 by the stippling, may present any of niany forms, as for example as shown' in .l igures 2, 3, 4- and 5, wherein the inked portions of the back ground of the drawing represent the visible metal of the plate. namely. the surfaces in relief -and the uninked portions of the background rcpresent the relief-mitliniug, depressed, surfaces of the plate.

In accordance with the showing in Fig, .2 the background-is etched to present. a lace.- like appearance; in Fig.3 the background is etched to present an appearance resembling marble; in Fig. i the background is etched to present a mottled appearance resembling leather; and in Fig. 5 it. is etched to present a more conventional design of general lace-like appearance.

In all of the forms illustrated, and which are shown purely by way of example, the background of the plate is etched to form portions in relief and relief-outlining, or depressed, portions, the latter being represented by the uninked portions of the background on the drawings, whereby the backround instead of presenting a smooth etched surface, presents a broken, relatively rough, etched surface, which not only causes the plate to present a highly ornamental effect, adding greatly to the ornamental appearance of the plate, but renders practically invisible, handling marks and scratches on, or imperfections 1n, the metal of the plate, the oprovision of the background as .stated, being of especial advantage, particularly as regards handling marks and imperfections in the metal, where the depressed portions, presenting etched surfaces of the background, are oxidized or electro-plated, inasmuch as so treating etched surfaces causes them to have marked affinity for oil or grease which is very difficult to remove and which marks are rendered practically undetectable by reason of the provision of the relatively rough background as stated, andimperfections in the metal at its surface are also renderedpractically undetectable.

If desired, the etched, depressed portions of the background may be coated "with enamel or other desirable coating, preferably opaque and of any desirable color, more particularly a color contrasting with the color of the metal of the plate, whereby thebackground instead of presenting a uniform, whether of the uninterrupted surface color,

PATENT OFFlCE.

ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOB TO CROWE NAME OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION" OF ILLINOIS.

3 tivelyminute areas comprising portions in metal of the plate or otherwise, presents a rather finely broken, interrupted surface coloring effect, such interrupted or broken surface coloring effect also being provided by oxidizing or electro-pla-ting the depressed portions of the background, with the advantage of producing a highly ornamental effect which is enhanced by the contrasting effects produced between the dial, or other markings on the plate for cooperation with operative parts of the apparatus, and the background of the plate.

Furthermore, if desired, certain, or all, of the portions in relief of the plate may be covered by a coating material applied thereto, or be electroplated or oxidized, even to such surface extent, if desired, that the entire surface of the plate is so treated, with certain of the advantages above enumerated.

While I have .illustrated and described certain particular embodiments of my in vention, I do not Wish to be understood as intending to limit it thereto as the invention may be embodied in various other forms and presenting other background effects, without departing from .the spirit of my invention.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. An etched metal body having etched portions with an etched background composing a major portion of the surface, said background being broken up into compararelief and portions forming outlining sur faces for said relief portions, whereby visibility of accidental marrings or inherent imperfections is minimized.

2. An etched metal body having etched portions in relief, with an etched background composing a major portion of the surface, said background being broken up into comparatively minute areas comprising portions in relief and portions forming outlining surfaces for said relief portions, whereby visibility of accidental marrings or inherent imperfections is minimized.

An etched metal body having etched portions with an etched background composing a major portion of the surface, said background being broken up into comparatively minute areas comprising portions in relief and portions forming outlining sur- WINSLOW GOODWIN. 

